The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-10-27

Hard. worked wife and mothe slept:
very lair she looked and metk.
Long dark lashes swept her cheek,
worn hands crossed upon her breast,
fof the"weary was at rest.''
All the Year Round.
A Female Switch Tender.
Chicago Tribune.
Milwaukee has a curious figure in
the person OF q female ''switchman."
Her name is Switch Annie" and
she is IN the employ of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul company.
She has the honor of being the only
female exponent of the art of "throw.
Ing switches" in the country.
The work is masculine, but the
worker is feminine from the sole of her
sensible walking-shoe to the top OF
her shapely head, possessed of me
beauty OF an English dairyma;d and
the muscle of a blacksmith.
The eleven switches which sbe looks
after are out near The stock-yards, and
include the most important points in
oh ho y"tIs Ahey were formerly in
cnarge OF che girls father, Joseph
urautne>c. For years Annie was his
ass's .ant, helping him almost from
1'-o time she was large enough to
throw the switch-lever. Then she was
advanced to regular assistant. The
old man was easily "rattled' but An.
ME never. Her GOODNESS and dexterity
nave saved many loss to the COM
Pany while for herself she was never
known to make a mistake that in.
volved the loss of dollar to the com.
pany.
Although Annie has been "throwinp
switches Tor over twelve years her
peculiar hist DRY has been hidden un-
der the bushel of her isolated station.
VI the thousands of people who used
every year to pass her brown switch
shanty, not one was aware that it hid
a curious history.
When applied for information at
the general Offices in regard to Annie,
was referred to the yardmaster, H.
s. TEAL. found him in his Office on
the second floor OF dingy and histor-
nc brick pile "down in the yards" My
request brought smile.
"You want to know about Annie?"
said the rugged yardmaster, as he
swung himself around so as to keep in
view the gl,stening tracks and moving
panorama Of putting engines shifting
trains that kept weaving the trans
portation threads in the patchwork
OF commerce as we talked.
swell, she's character. You must
60 out and see her. She'll talk to
you: Isn't afraid of anybody"
"How long has she been on the
road?"
Ever since she was a child. Her
father was with the company twenty
years. He only had one leg, and was
rather slow getting about. He was
all right so long as he had only enc or
two switches, but when business in
creased and more were put in he had
to have assistance. Then Annie
came IN. She was little
thing at that time, but she was
spry, and the way she would
get back and forth between those
switches was surprising. After q while
she was put on regularly as an assist.
ant to her father. When he was
killed last winter she was given his
place and now supports the family.
They live back of the switch shanty
in a house furnished rent-free by the
company"
"How does her work compare with
that of other sWltchmen?'
"She has the cleanest record of any
man in my employ, and we have two
hundred men in the yard. She never
lost a dollar for the company, and
that is more than I can saw of anv
man in the yard. She rarely makes q
mistake, and when she does it is al.
ways through a signal carelessly given.
There is one thing about Annie, ra-
markable in a woman; she don't seem
TO know what fear is. At the time OF
the riots last year that Polish mob,
after cleaning out the shops. came
down through the yards, cleaning
out every one in their way. Annie
Was on duty at the time, and was the
only employee who was not driven
from work. All the rest of the men
ran away and then came back after
the mob passed. But Annie staid by
her switches. When the mob reached
her one big Pole grabbed her by the
arm, saying: "Get out of here; 20
home. you can't work no more!" Be-
fore the words we're out of his mouth
Annie hauled of and gave him q slap
that sent him spinning. Her pluck
raised laugh, and she was not mo-
Tested further. The big fellow was
satisfied to mix up with the crowd and
get out of sight. Without a word
more Annie then went right through
the crowd to set q switch for a train
that WIS coming out. The gang
passed on and the girl was left alone.
She's good one, and no mistake"
GLOW is she regarded among the
yardmen?"
''They think the world of Annie.
They would fight for her in a minute,
if necessary"
"Do not complaints come in occa-
sionally?"
II never had but one complaint
from Annie in the whole twelve years
she has been throwing switches. Once
she was given q signal imperfectly, and
sent car down the wrong track.
This is very annoying to the engine
crews, as they have to back down and
get it. As the engine went by one OF
the swicthmen gave Annie blast for
her mistake. Well, the poor girl was
heart broken to think she had made
m,stake-for she takes great pride
in her work-and then to have this
on top broke her all up. I happened
to come out soon afterward and she
told me about it. The man was CIV
en- his time, and that was the last
complaint ever heard from Annie.
But 60 out and see her yourself"
did 90. .:
The stock yards are situated about
q mile and half west of tho main
yard. although an interlacinR chain OF